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MLS breakdown

MLS Week 1: Play Your Kids report, Nashville & RBNY impress, and more

ASN's Brian Sciaretta offers up his observations from the opening weekend in MLS including: Nashville was great, the Red Bulls were strong, FC Dallas fans should be optimistic, and the kids keep impressing. On the flip side, Cincy is reaching hopelessness. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
February 28, 2022
10:05 PM

THE FIRST WEEKEND of the 2022 MLS season is in the books. It’s dangerous to read too much into early-season games or drawing too many conclusions, but there are some clear lessons and some interesting talking points.

Some of it was surprising. The best example is that Seattle was flat at home, Orlando exceeded my expectations, Colorado disappointed, Philadelphia was too sloppy, and Dallas could impress.

Somethings also went as expected. It’s going to be tough for Cincinnati to give up its wooden spoon, Carlos Vela is still good, Portland and New England entertained, Columbus looked very prepared, and Atlanta has talent.

Things typically change dramatically over the course of an MLS season but here are some of my thoughts at the start of the 2022 season.

 

Play your kids, v.2022

 

The starting point really isn’t clear, but MLS really hit a turning point about five or six years ago when many of the teams in the league began giving young players serious minutes. Coaches started trusting academy products and some really talented domestically-produced players emerged.

Then more players began to get the interest of top European teams. MLS teams were more willing to sell and more talented players from the academies emerged. It started a healthy cycle that is continuing in the league.

A lot of academy-produced players were sold by MLS teams the past window, so this year should start a new cycle of younger players who are all looking for breakthroughs.

The first week was encouraging and he is a list of the domestic young players (born 2002 and later) who saw minutes in the opening weekend. There are 26 players in total, with 21 Americans and five Canadians.

 

Here are the top performers from the list:

Gaga Slonina: The Chicago goalkeeper is one of the most exciting American prospects at his position in many years. Expectations are elevated for him this season, despite him being just 17. The U.S. U-20 standout (and perhaps a USMNT backup) was impressive for Chicago in a 0-0 draw against Inter Miami. He made four saves, including this big one to preserve the result.

 

Caleb Wiley: If the 2021 U.S. U-20 cycle happened, it would have had two very good left backs in George Bello and John Tolkin. The 2023 has even more – Jonathan Gomez, Noah Allen, and Caleb Wiley. Wiley, a 2004-born left back at Atlanta United, came off the bench in Saturday's 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City to score the final goal.

 

Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty: The Canadian fullback for Toronto FC is arguably the best field player of the 2004 birth year in MLS. He was outstanding in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against FC Dallas and Bob Bradley should give him a lot of minutes this season. He’s going to be very dangerous for Canada’s U-20 team.

Obed Vargas: it is hard to believe that the Seattle Sounders homegrown is just 16 but he looks great. Despite the loss to Nashville, Vargas looked mature beyond his years and is the first 2005-born player who looks ready to make impact in games.

Moses Nyeman: Played 62 minutes for DC United in a 3-0 win over Charlotte and looked comfortable in Hernan Losada’s system (which wasn’t always the case last season). The U.S. U-20 midfielder can pass, but defensively he handled his responsibilities well. Of course, Charlotte isn’t the toughest of tests, but Nyeman is off to a nice start this season.

 

RBNY – San Jose talking points

 

I was particularly interested in the opening matchup between the New York Red Bulls and San Jose in California. I was particularly interested in how the teams performed under their managers. Gerhard Struber was lucky his team made a run to qualify for the playoffs last year because the team’s postseason streak nearly ended on his watch. Would this early part of the season show progress?

Then there is Matias Almeyda at San Jose. A manager who, at times, makes decisions which are so baffling – such as playing Jackson Yueill in central defense knowing that defense isn’t his strong point. Long-time Red Bull fan site, Metrofanatic, made this note that is hard to dispute: “San Jose is absolutely terrible, with a lame duck manager who might be begging to get fired.”

To be fair, San Jose was indeed very poor in this game and the Red Bulls won 3-1. Early in the season, my concerns were over the Red Bulls finishing and San Jose’s underperformance under Almeyda. This performance gave rise to those concerns. It is actually too bad because, on paper, San Jose has talent.

As for the Red Bulls, tougher tests will come but it was a solid outing. Finishing is the biggest are of concern and the team should have had five goals in this one. Patrik Klimala needs to be better and the team will soon have forward Ashley Fletcher arriving and DP midfielder Luquinhas. But Aaron Long looked sharp in his return and the improved Red Bull backline should have the team in better shape than many realize. 

Meanwhile, Frankie Amaya and Omir Fernandez were both on their game as well. Amaya was in consideration for Team of the Week.



If Struber can make it gel, they’ll be a tough out.

 

Colorado’s tough start

 

Of the five MLS teams in the CCL, Colorado was the only one to not advance out of the first round after the team lost in a shootout in the driving snow to Comunicaciones. Then in the MLS opener, the team was ripped apart by LAFC.

Now, analyzing LAFC is simple. Carlos Vela had a hat trick in the opener. If he is back to being one of the best in the league, LAFC is going to be one of the best in the league. He makes everyone, including new manager Steve Cherundolo, look good.

 

As for Colorado, the team overperformed in 2021 and finished atop the Western Conference. Some of that was due to both LA teams stumbling and injuries hitting Seattle. That opened the door for other teams and Robin Fraser did a terrific job getting Colorado to punch above its weight.

But continuing to exceed expectations at that level is a tough thing to do. Now they have to do it after shipping both Cole Bassett and Kellyn Acosta in the offseason. Brazilian attacking midfielder Max will help in the loss of Bassett. But not adequately replacing Acosta is going to be costly. Mark Anthony-Kaye is going to struggle in that role. Then when Austin Trusty departs in the summer, there is going to be yet another hole to fill.

The improvement of many teams throughout the West plus Colorado’s thin roster make you appreciate what it did last season, and how tough it will be to come close to that.

 

Cincinnati’s nightmare opener

 

FC Cincinnati was hoping for yet another reboot in 2022, and this seems to be an annual tradition. It’s sad in away and it reminds me of the Metrostarts in 1996. That team had a very enthusiastic fanbase, similar to DC United in 1996, but didn’t come ready to play. The team turned off its fanbase and many never came back. In some respects, it is still paying the price of not taking advantage of the fanbase that was once so inclined to support it. These mistakes were almost repeated by not having a good team at the start of the opening of Red Bull Arena.

Cincinnati has even more going for it. The league is infinitely better now than in 1996. Their fanbase is even more wild and ready to show up (in a market a fraction the size of New York). They have a gorgeous stadium inside of their first few seasons.

All that initial momentum is set to be squandered in a way far worse than the Metrostars. FC Cincinnati has been the worst team in the league in each of the three seasons it has played in MLS. After making many new changes – including a new coach and technical director – it goes out and loses a 5-0 decision to Austin FC.

The narrative of hope and a new start has changed to a fourth wooden spoon. The team's typically lively twitter feed hasn't posted much since this:

 

It was even more bitter because Austin FC was an expansion team last year and looks like it has made the improvements and changes Cincinnati should have made two years ago but instead has only gotten worse.

Fans can take losses and bad seasons. But hopelessness? That’s something that can kill off a fanbase.

 

FC Dallas and Toronto

 

The FC Dallas and Toronto game had a lot of interesting themes to it. Both teams have new coaches after failing to make the playoffs in 2021. Both teams are playing young players and both teams have huge, expensive DP attacking wingers ready to join them soon.

The game played out to a 1-1 final but Dallas was the better team and looked closer to being where they want to be.

One big take away is that Paxton Pomykal looks like he is really close to being fully back. He missed a lot of time and 2021 was all about working his way back. At the start of 2022, he looks back and ready. Also, Paul Arriola was very good in this game too. That was a smart pickup in terms of adding a winger who is good on defense and is aggressive with his dribble.

 

Finally, Dallas will soon be getting Alan Velasco and that should make the team’s offense be very difficult to stop. He is one of the most talented designated players arriving in the league and should be able to replace the output lost by Pepi.

The big concern for me about Dallas is whether or not Edwin Cerillo and Brandon Servania together are going to add to the possession game enough. Are they fast enough in the deeper areas of the midfield and are they creative enough?

 

As for Toronto, they underwent a huge roster overhaul and they should rebuild quickly. If they can tread water until Lorenzo Insigne arrives, they might have a shot at the playoffs. The East is weaker, and Toronto has a good coach now. But there are some holes that remain.

 

Philadelphia was sloppy



The first game of the season was in Philadelphia where the Union played Minnesota to a 1-1 draw. Expectations are high for the Union to be among the best teams in the east. Minnesota is among the many teams expected to be in a tight race for the playoffs.

Both teams traded goals in the first half, and while Philadelphia had more possession in the second half and played better defense, the Union were sloppy in the attack. The passing was off and too many promising attacks went to die.

 

Philadelphia kept its defense together and that will always keep the team in games. It’s a tough team to break down and Minnesota had very few chances the last 45 minutes. But the Union spent money on its attack and should have been better.

 

Nashville impresses

 

The Portland – New England game was the most entertaining match of the opening weekend as the teams played to a 2-2 draw. The most impressive performance, however, went to Nashville which travelled to Seattle and beat a very good Sounders team 1-0.

Nashville switching to the West is a big story. It makes the West more difficult and the East easier.

 

Nashville looked great. Yes, they have the best defender in the league in Walker Zimmerman (who was excellent again) and a difference making DP in Hany Mukhtar. The team also made a great acquisition in bringing in Sean Davis who gives the midfield even more bite. Davis is playing in a different role than he did with the Red Bulls as he is a little more advanced with Dax McCarty in back of him.

Nashville has a way to out-grind teams to the bone.  They win duels, they are physical, and the effort is always there. They are going to be a tough out, but the biggest concern I have with them is age. Davis is 29, Dax is 34, Godoy is 32, Sapong is 33. That is a significant part of the core of the team. How is that going to play out over a full season plus the playoffs? If they hold together, they’ll be good. But they might need reinforcements.

 

CCL Blues

 

In recent years, it has become a running theme in the league that the teams in the CONCACAF Champions League early stages struggle in league play.

That has never been truer than in 2022 as Colorado, Seattle, New York City, and Montreal all lost in the opening weekend of the MLS season. New England is also in the tournament but advanced when an opponent forfeited. Competing on two fronts remains very difficult for teams in MLS in the early parts of the season.

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